


I Saw Her Standing There

by pure_ecstasy6



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 07:27:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18338966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pure_ecstasy6/pseuds/pure_ecstasy6





	1. Chapter 1

~*~  
  
_"There's a reason people like you and I find each other. Maybe it's God, maybe it's Fate, but I know it's not an accident that I found you."_  
  
~*~  
  
"Don't be too long and don't talk to anyone." Miranda said, looking up from her bag as she zipped it up.   
  
"Yes, mom."  
  
"We know, mom."   
  
Her daughters said as they walked away.  
  
Putting on her faux fur purple jacket Miranda sat down on the camper chair. She looked over at Stephen who appeared to be staring into space. "Could you get a start on the tents?" she asked however he remained quiet. "That would be helpful. The girls will collect more sticks for the fire when they get back."  
  
"They wanted to come all the way out here... they can put together their own tent." Stephen responded.  
  
"And what about ours?" Miranda questioned.  
  
"Following the instruction manual shouldn't be too hard, I know how much you love to take charge of most situations, I'm sure you can figure it out." Stephen replied.  
  
"Could you please try and enjoy this trip." Miranda said, leaning forward, hoping Stephen would turn to look at her. He didn't.  
  
Stephen huffed. "I will do the tent for us later."  
  
"But you always say you'll do things later and it never happens." Miranda said, sighing.  
  
"Because you enjoy controlling everything and everyone." Stephen shrugged. "You weren't happy with the way I packed the bags, you weren't happy with my directional skills earlier, and I'm sure you won't be happy with how I put the tent together, and I don't want to have to deal with you breathing fire down my neck all night."  
  
Miranda stared at the man, shaking her head. "You're... no, it's not even worth it... arguing with you."  
  
"Good. Be quiet then." Stephen said.  
  
Miranda snapped her mouth shut, but that lasted only a few seconds. "I don't even know why you decided to come if this was how you planned on acting the whole time."  
  
Stephen laughed. "You all but forced me to."  
  
"Because I wanted us to try to reunite as a family again." Miranda replied.  _If we were ever a family in the first place._  
  
"Well, you're doing a great job of that so far, aren't you?" Stephen responded.  
  
"Come on, it's just through here."  
  
Miranda looked over towards the trees upon hearing her girls. "Pull your act together. I don't need you upsetting Caroline and Cassidy."  
  
"You won't have to deal with that if you stop talking to me and leave me alone." Stephen responded.  
  
"Fine." Miranda huffed just as her daughters came into view. "There you are, could you-" she stopped mid speech as another person stepped through the trees.   
  
"Look who we came across in the toilets!" Cassidy excitedly said.  
  
"I told you to not speak to anyone." Miranda firmly responded, quickly looking from Cassidy to the woman they thought appropriate to bring back.  _The one who got away._  
  
"We couldn't just ignore Andy mom... she did get us  _Harry Potter_  after all!" Caroline said.  
  
"I did try to tell them that me coming back here wouldn't be the best of idea's." The brunette chimed in.  
  
"Quite right." Miranda responded.  
  
"Andy's camping out here with her friends too!" Cassidy said.   
  
"Is that so?" Miranda said while glaring at Andrea who'd had the audacity to walk away from her and then think it okay to waltz back in.  
  
"Yep, not stalking you." The brunette responded, laughing nervously. "I think I can hear my friends calling for me so I should go..."  
  
Miranda watched as Andrea Sachs once again rushed away.   
  
"Handled that just as expected." Stephen said, breaking the silence which had fallen over them. "And you wonder why no one wants to be near you... you bring it all on yourself and then wonder why you're alone at the end of it all and come groveling back to me hoping it can magically fix everything."  
  
"I've heard enough from you for one day." Miranda snapped at her so called husband.  
  
"Andy, I thought your friends were calling for you?" Cassidy asked.  
  
Miranda spun back around and her eyes connected with Andrea's who she thought had left. She raised an eyebrow at the young woman daring her to speak. "Something you'd like to add?"  
  
"My friends and I were about to go for a walk.... if you needed a little while... to talk." Andy glanced quickly at Stephen. "I could take Caroline and Cassidy off yours hands."  
  
"Oh, please, can we mom?" The girls chorused.  
  
"We won't be going far." Andy added.   
  
Knowing that she and Stephen needed to talk the  _Runway_ editor found herself nodding her consent, having no reason not to trust Andrea. "No longer than a couple of hours."  
  
"Yessss!" Caroline and Cassidy erupted excitedly.  
  
Once her girls excitedly went off with Andrea the Runway editor turned back to face her husband.   
  
"You let a former assistant with a horse face take the twins for a hike, but you don't allow me to do that?" Stephen asked, shaking his head. "You're a piece of work."  
  
Andy stopped and couldn't help herself, she had to listen to what Miranda said next.  
  
Miranda snorted. "Well, if you didn't drink that like it was water..." she motioned to Stephen's flask which hung from his hand. “Then maybe I would allow you to take them away while I hang back here and get started on dinner." she said as she sat down on the log near the fire pit and began pulling out vegetables already chopped in zip lock bags. "But you're already drunk, and it's nearly nightfall, and there's no way you would be able to navigate around in your state."  
  
Stephen grunted, saying nothing, until a second or so passed. "You better not be making another one of those crappy vegetarian dishes again."  
  
"You'll eat what you're served up, and you won't say another word." Miranda firmly said as if speaking to a bloody child.  
  
"You know if you weren't such a controlling bitch all the time I wouldn't have to get so grumpy." Stephen replied.  
  
Andy jumped when Caroline came up behind her.  
  
"Are they fighting again?"  
  
"I don't know. Come on, let's catch up with the others." Andy said and they began to walk away but not before she looked over her shoulder and got a glimpse of Miranda through the three's cradling her head in both hands.  
  
Balling her hands into fists she cursed Stephen, the dickhead, over and over again in her head.  
  
~*~  
  
**A Little Over Two Hours Later.**  
  
Miranda walked back towards their camping area which had thankfully remained empty without anyone intruding on their spot where she could hear her girls chattering away.  
  
Walking through the tree line she saw them throwing sticks into the fire.  
  
"Where's Andrea?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Back to her camping spot with her friends." Caroline responded.  
  
"They are so cool, mom, Nate and Doug are so funny." Cassidy said.  
  
_Cook boy is with her?!_ Miranda narrowed her eyes. She was so sure she had heard Andrea had stopped mucking about with him.   
  
"Nate made these really yummy Muesli snacks." Cassidy said.  
  
"If you had of allowed Andy to stay a few moments you could have met them all." Caroline said.  
  
"Yes, well, you know why I don't like Andrea." Miranda responded. "Now come on, dinner will be nearly ready."  
  
"I think you do like Andy though." Caroline mumbled.  
  
"What did you say?" Miranda asked, looking over at Caroline who was the more out spoken and blunt of her two daughters.  
  
"Don't worry. What did you make?" Caroline asked, looking at the pot atop the fire pit.  
  
"Veggie stew." Miranda replied. "Lots of flavoursome goodness."  
  
"Yummy!" The girls chorused.  
  
"Much to Stephen's disappointment, I'm sure." Cassidy said as she and Caroline chuckled.  
  
Miranda winked at her girls. "He'll get over it."  
  
"He hasn't been very happy though." Caroline said, hugging her mom.  
  
"No, but our jobs have been very hectic lately and we're still trying to find our feet in our relationship again." Miranda responded, putting her arm around Caroline. "It will be okay though."  
  
"Are you sure?" Caroline asked.  
  
Miranda looked into her daughters gorgeous and overly concerned eyes as Cassidy came up, holding her on her left side.  
  
"Caroline and I just want you to be happy." Cassidy said.  
  
"And we aren't sure if Stephen truly makes you happy." Caroline added.  
  
"Are you happy?" Cassidy questioned, and both girls raised their eyebrows, holding their mom tightly.  
  
"Oh, bobbsey's. Yes, I'm happy." Miranda replied, swallowing down the lump in her throat at her fake words. "I'm even more happy that I have two beautiful and extraordinary daughters, and mommy wouldn't know what to do without the both of you by my side."  
  
Both girls beamed up at her as Stephen grunted in his chair and jolted himself awake.  
  
"What's going on?!" Stephen asked gruffly as he stood on swaying legs, looking around as if he had forgotten where they were.  
  
"We're just bonding." Miranda responded, smiling, looking over at Stephen who didn't even look at her.  
  
"Mom cooked stew." Cassidy said.  
  
"I'm sure it'll be more like spew." Stephen muttered.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Miranda snapped.  
  
The girls tried to hide their smirks as Stephen tried to come up with something else to say, but the old man ended up slurring nonsense.  
  
"Pathetic." Caroline muttered.  
  
Stephen shot her a look. "Did you hear that?" he asked Miranda.  
  
"No." Miranda responded, more fake words coming from her mouth. She had heard Caroline and thought the exact same thing. "What did you say, Caroline?"  
  
"Stephen seems to be feeling very apathetic to being here on this trip with us." Caroline said, recovering well, and crossing her arms in front of her and Cassidy mimicked her a second later. "Begs the question as to why you came in the first place... Patricia would be better protection than you are in your current state."   
  
Patricia barked at those words, agreeing.  
  
"Are you just going to let her talk like this?" Stephen asked looking from Caroline to Miranda.  
  
The  _Runway_  editor shrugged. "She has a point."  
  
"You know what, enjoy your spew, I'm going to bed." Stephen said and began walking away on his very unsteady legs.  
  
"Don't fall over now!" Cassidy called out and both she and Caroline laughed.  
  
"I really don't know why you want to try again with him, mom, he's no good for you." Cassidy said.  
  
"Stephen's toxic." Caroline chimed in.  
  
As much as her daughters words were correct Miranda didn't want to throw in the marriage knowing that if she did then she would have to fully think about as to why her marriages never worked and she wasn't ready to think about those reasons just yet.   
  
"Let's have dinner." Miranda replied.  
  
"How far are we going to go tomorrow?" Caroline questioned.  
  
"Oh, I'm not sure. As far as we can get in a few hours." Miranda responded, picking up a plastic bowl and filling it with the stew.  
  
~*~  
  
**The Next Day.  
Early Afternoon.  
**  
"Maybe we should set up camp here tonight?" Caroline asked from where she was throwing pebbles across the calm lake.  
  
"Yeah, it's so peaceful here." Cassidy chimed in from where she was sat on a rock with her binoculars bird watching and occasionally people watching as she was at the end of a day a real sticky beak and enjoyed observing people.  
  
"I think that sounds like a plan!" Miranda replied, smiling, as she drank from her bottle of San Pellegrino. It suited her not having to do any more walking as her feet were covered in blisters due to her hiking boots and by the looks of Stephen, pale and ready to collapse, it was best they set up for the night.  
  
"Can we go for a swim soon?" Cassidy asked, hopeful.  
  
"Yes, bobbsey." Miranda replied. It was a little cold, but they could rug up in front of the fire after. God knows Miranda did worse when she was their age at the beaches in England in weather more freezing than this. She would join them, but there were too many people passing by that could easily recognise her and snap photos which she didn't want happening - she had tried going as low profile on this trip and that wasn't changing anytime soon.  
  
"I'm going to lay down." Stephen said, turning and walking over to a patch of soft looking grass.  
  
"I'll get you your sleeping bag." Miranda replied and Stephen waved her words away.  
  
"Oh my god, there's Andy!" Cassidy announced a few minutes later.  
  
"What, where?" Caroline asked, hurrying over to her sister and asking for the binoculars.  
  
Miranda also without realising it began walking towards her girls and Caroline handed over the binoculars.  
  
"They're paddle boarding!" Caroline said excitedly.  
  
"It looks so fun!" Cassidy said.  
  
"I wish we could join in!" Caroline said.  
  
Miranda, once locating her former assistant with said binoculars, she felt her heart strangely beginning to race as she took in the younger woman’s bare skin as the brunette only wore a bikini top and board shorts. It didn't match at all, but around here having clothes that matched was far from priority which was something Miranda had come to realise from observing everyone she passed.  
  
It seemed that Andrea was an exceptional paddle boarder while an African woman kept falling off.  
  
"Hey Andy!" Cassidy yelled at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Cassidy!" Miranda said just as Andrea looked over and it was as if the brunette could see Miranda looking through the binoculars and she nervously dropped them from her hands which thankfully were caught by Cassidy.  
  
"What?" Cassidy asked.  
  
"We can't be interrupting her again." Miranda replied. "You and Caroline already took up enough of their time yesterday."  
  
"They didn’t mind though." Cassidy said.  
  
"They're really cool people." Caroline chimed in.  
  
"Even so." Miranda said, beginning to walk away and trying to forget how Andrea's creamy skin looked. "We have to leave her alone."  
  
"Oh yes! She's coming over!" Cassidy said having looked through her binoculars again.  
  
"What?" Miranda asked, turning back around and running a hand through her hair. "I really wish you wouldn't have called out to Andrea. I don’t want to see her."  
  
"Why? Andy's nice." Cassidy said.  
  
"You used to like her." Caroline said.  
  
"Yes, exactly that... I used to like her, but my feelings have changed drastically since she walked away which had been very immature and unprofessional." Miranda responded.  
  
"Maybe you should let her explain and apologise." Caroline said.  
  
Miranda sighed as she looked over and saw Andrea was getting closer, the board gliding perfectly with ease through the calm water. "I'm going to find more sticks for the fire.   
Don't hold Andrea up too long." she said then quickly turned and walked away.  
  
How in the world they have ended up in the same place in the western part of the country Miranda would never know, but it would do none of them any good if she allowed her emotions get the better of her by telling Andrea what she really thought of her.  
  
_Staying away is for the best._  Miranda told herself as she heard Andrea's voice as her girls excitedly spoke to her saying how much they couldn't believe they had come across each other’s paths again.  
  
Miranda simply hoped Andrea wouldn't stick around for long as surely the brunette had better things to do with her friends rather than humouring fourteen year old girls and hoping that a conversation didn't arise with her former boss about Paris.  
  
However as Miranda made her way back a few minutes later with a large amount of sticks she sighed when she saw Andrea had apparently helped herself to one of the camp chairs and a plastic cup of  _San Pellegrino_.  
  
"Making yourself quite at home I see." Miranda commented, sighing, as she threw the sticks in to the fire pit she was about to light up. She watched as Andrea simply smirked and sat back in the chair.  
  
"It's very comfortable. Reminds me of your office chair." Andy replied, looking up and her eyes connecting with Miranda's.  
  
"My office chair?" How would you... no, never mind, I don't want to know." Miranda responded, shaking her head. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Cassidy called my name and I couldn't not come over... That would have been too rude." Andy replied, casually sipping her bubbly water.  
  
Andrea's attitude was far too relaxed and it made Miranda a little nervous. The woman was up to something - she had to be - no ex assistant was this relaxed around her after having ended their tenure in such a way.  
  
"Andy has offered to teach us how to paddle board." Cassidy excitedly said.  
  
"Did she now?" Miranda questioned with a raised eye, eyes not leaving Andrea's. “I’m sure Andrea has better things with her friends to do."  
  
"My friends and I are very easy going, Miranda, and Caroline and Cassidy expressed interest in paddle boarding." Andy replied, standing and shrugged. "Considering they came for a hike with us yesterday I would presume you would be okay for them to paddle board?"  
  
Miranda swallowed hard at Andrea's now close proximity and had to force herself to not look down to where Andrea's cleavage was gloriously showing.  
  
"Please mom?" Caroline asked.  
  
"Please, please can we?" Cassidy begged.  
  
"I could even teach you if you'd like." Andy chimed in, a smirk playing on her lips.  
  
Miranda snorted at that. "I don't ever paddle board."  
  
"How do you know if you've never tried it?" Andy questioned, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I just know." Miranda slowly said, ripping her eyes from Andrea and looking at her girls. "Yes, you can go paddle boarding."  
  
Caroline and Cassidy erupted with cheers.  
  
"We'll go get into our swimming clothes." Cassidy said to Andy who nodded in response.  
  
"The waters a lot warmer than you'd think." Andy said, looking back to Miranda who was now fixing up the fire pit. "Can I help you out?"  
  
"No, I'm quite capable of lighting a fire." Miranda snapped.  
  
"Wow, sorry for asking." Andy said, holding up her hands. "I didn't mean to make you think I was belittling you."  
  
Miranda sighed, and rubbed her eyes. "Look, it's been a long couple of days, and I still have two more to get through so whatever this..." she waved toward Andrea. ”is... I don't have time to deal with it. I have work that needs to be done and no internet signal to worry about than having to worry about what it is you want."  
  
"I don't want anything." Andy replied, continuing. "I don't know why you assumed that just because I'm being nice to your children makes me want something from you. I always liked them, Miranda, and I know they love boogie boarding in Miami so paddle boarding would be another experience for them, but if you don't want me hanging around then by all means let me know and I'll leave."  
  
"No." Miranda sighed. "You don't have to leave. I just need to clear my head."  
  
"Okay, well, maybe you could go for a walk." Andy said, continuing. "There's a great little spot through those tree's." she pointed behind Miranda. "With a park bench that overlooks wonderfully green field with cows. You should take a book down there. Caroline and Cassidy are perfectly fine with me."  
  
"I know they are." Miranda said more quickly than she would have liked. "I know." she said, more slowly this time. "Thank you, if you don't mind teaching them that would be incredibly kind of you."  
  
"It's my pleasure, Miranda." Andy replied just as the twins came bounding over with Patricia.  
  
"We're ready!"  
  
Andy grinned. “I can see that. Well then, let's get this show on the road."  
  
Miranda smiled at how excited her girls were. It was refreshing to see them this way when she very rarely did.   
  
"Go and clear your head we'll be fine."  
  
And with Andréa’s words Miranda nodded and decided that she would take the brunette's offer and go for a wander. Her life in Manhattan was always so crazy and busy that she never got this kind of opportunity to just be in such a peaceful place. It would be silly for her to not make the most of it.  
  
~*~  
  
**An Hour Later.  
**  
When Miranda came back from taking a little time out for herself - which had been quite relaxing - she was pulled away by Stephen who looked far from impressed.   
  
"What were you doing?" Stephen demanded.  
  
"I went for a walk. What's the matter?" Miranda responded, frowning.  
  
"What's the matter is that I woke up to find that obnoxious woman looking after the twins and you were nowhere in sight." Stephen said. "What do you think you're playing at with her?" he asked, looking over to the brunette.  
  
Miranda shrugged. "Andrea offered to look after the girls again."  
  
"You supposedly don't even like Andrea so why the hell are you letting her spend time with the twins?" Stephen asked.  
  
_Because you're a drunk and are completely useless with them._ Miranda wanted to say, but didn't. "Honestly, I don't know, she was just there... and I accepted the offer. Does that make me such a bad person? She is reliable and hasn't been drinking." She pointedly said, glaring at Stephen.  
  
Stephen laughed then. "Unbeknowst to you, your little baby sitter over there has been drinking all afternoon, and let me tell you... she sure knows how to throw them back."  
  
"Well..." Miranda glanced over to Andrea who was holding onto Cassidy who stood on top of the paddle board which was slowly moving through the water, both of them laughing. "How embarrassing then that a young woman can hold her alcohol better than you do." she heard herself saying before she could think better of it, a smirk on her lips, and desperately wanted to laugh.  
  
"Oh yeah, continue to poke fun at me, Mira, you better watch it or I might walk away for good this time and there would be no amount of groveling you could do to win me back." Stephen said, face going red from anger.  
  
"Maybe you should." Miranda heard herself saying, speaking before thinking.   
  
"What?" Stephen snapped, eyes wide.   
  
"Leave. Walk away for good." Miranda replied.  
  
Stephen stared at the Runway editor wordlessly before beginning to walk away. "This is all on you, and not me this time, you just remember that."  
  
Miranda waved the words away, rolling her eyes. "If you say so."  
  
"You are one complete mind fuck." Stephen hissed into her face, walking towards Miranda again. "Sadly, but truthfully there's no one out there who could handle being with you... someone so ice cold and boring... no one likes that, Mira, and no man enjoys their so called wife absolutely frigid in bed. Good luck with dying alone."  
  
Miranda stared at Stephen's retreating back, opening and closing her mouth desperately wanting to say something scathing - to breathe fire down his neck - but for the life of her she came up empty. She didn't care - there was no use wasting her breath on him for even another second - and so she allowed Stephen to walk away from what was the very last straw of their marriage.  _Never again will I be treated like that by another man._  She thought - Stephen having done many things throughout their eight years of marriage that had been less than desirable.  
  
~*~  
  
**A Little While Later.**  
  
Miranda handed a cup of  _San Pellegrino_  to her daughters who were breathless and filled Andrea's up which the brunette held out to her.   
  
Cassidy was the first to realise that Stephen wasn't anywhere to be seen and she turned to Caroline and they did their twin mind reading and Miranda waited for the inevitable onslaught of questions.  
  
However just as it looked like her daughters were going to speak a young man with scruffy hair came on over, sitting next to Andrea. She narrowed her eyes.  _They're still together._  
  
"Ah, Miranda, this is one of my good friends, Nate Cooper." Andy said, looking from Nate to Miranda.   
  
"It's a pleasure meeting you. Andy's told me lots about you." Nate said, holding his hand out.  
  
Miranda briskly shook it ever so quickly and wondered if really everything Andrea had said was true. She nodded at his words, but said nothing.  
  
"Where did Stephen go?" Cassidy asked.  
  
"Stephens's left. I'm not sure if we'll be seeing him again." Miranda replied and was shocked and incredibly embarrassed when her twins high fived. She wondered what on earth Andrea must think of her.   
  
"But... that means were going home." Cassidy said knowing that the only reason they came here was because Stephen had grumpily agreed because there was  _"no way in hell I would go out there alone with two young girls. You'll come with us if you want there to be an us again."_  she heard her mom's voice in her head - she and Caroline had upon eavesdropped the week before they came here - a trip which had been an incredibly spontaneous decision for their mom and she knew they should feel lucky to have spent two nights out here, but as always their excitement was to be cut short because of  _"adult issues that Mommy and Stephen have to deal with."_  or  _"You know how important Runway is for Mommy. I will make up for this soon."_  
  
Miranda instantly saw the disappointment on her daughters faces. "Unfortunately yes. You both know we can't stay out here."  
  
"But we have Patricia as our guard dog!" Caroline angrily said. "You always ruin things! Stephen would still be here if you kept your mouth shut and did a few nice things for him now and again."  
  
Miranda's eyes widened and she felt her cheeks redden. "You know that's not true, Caroline." she said in a low, warning tone, praying her daughters would stop talking.  
  
"If we leave then I'm going to live with Dad! He would never cut our trip short!" Caroline continued.  
  
Miranda rubbed her eyes. This couldn't get any more embarrassing.  
  
"There’s no reason for you to cut your trip short when you could come join us."   
  
Miranda slowly turned to cook boy who had spoken. She raised an eyebrow.  
  
Andy whipped her head to Nate, eyes widened.   
  
They were words neither women had expected to hear.   
  
"No, no. I could never ask you of that." Miranda murmured.  
  
Nate shrugged, smiling a goofy smile. "I'm offering."  
  
Andy was equally surprised as Miranda.  
  
"Please Mom?" Cassidy dared to whisper.  
  
"You have come all this way after all." Nate chimed in once more.  
  
~*~  
  
Miranda walked over to Andrea who was helping the girls pack their camp bag properly so it would be lighter for them to hold. "Can I have a moment with you?"  
  
"Ah, sure." Andy replied, looking to Caroline and Cassidy. "You've got this under control."  
  
"Thanks Andy!" They chorused.   
  
"I really appreciate you doing that with them... the hike yesterday and the paddle boarding today." Miranda began as Andrea nodded. "I really didn't think Stephen was going to get like this. I had hope things could have been different the second time around, but of course it has been exactly the same, and now he's gone off in a huff and won't be coming back that leaves me having to be the big bad wolf and cut my girls first ever camping trip short because Stephen couldn't control himself for four bloody nights. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be rambling to you." Miranda said, running a frustrated hand through her hair.  _Why am I explaining this to her?! This is utterly ridiculous._  
  
Andy shook her head. "Please don't be sorry. You were a good person to give that idiot a second chance even when you know you don't deserve him, but you did it for your girl’s happiness and I really admire you for that... I can see how much you love them. As for cutting the trip short well..." she shrugged "You really don't have to do that. Like Nate said, you and the girls are more than welcome to join us."   
  
"Oh no, I couldn't ask that of you, I'm sure he was just being polite." Miranda responded, shaking her head.  _There's no way you can camp with them. You will not fit in. You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise._  
  
Andy shook her head, opened her mouth to speak, but Miranda continued.  
  
"I'm sure they won't want the  _Dragon Lady_  in their presence." Miranda said with a forced laugh.  
  
"They won't mind... were an extremely laid back bunch. You shouldn't let Stephen ruin this trip for you guys. You can make it even better without him." Andy said.  
  
"Well, I...." Miranda looked over at her girls who were excitedly chattering away.  
  
"I mean it's really not fair on them if Stephen ruins their trip, and you shouldn't let him upset you anymore. You're better than him, Miranda." Andy firmly said, and dared to touch the older woman’s upper arm.  
  
Miranda blinked at Andrea's words and the sensation of the young woman’s soft hand on her.   
"If you're..." she cleared her throat and was thankful when Andrea dropped her hand away. The simple act had made her feel incredibly funny and she wasn't sure she wanted to feel such a way. “If you're sure... I really don't want to impose on you and your friends." she said, and slowly looked into Andrea's eyes.  
  
"Honestly it's fine. Nate wouldn't have offered otherwise. There is a catch though."  
  
Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"  
  
"You have to participate in the yearly camp fire medley." Andy said, smirking.  
  
"A bush fire medley?" Miranda asked.  
  
"Yeah, we do it every year, it's like tradition." Andy replied just as one of the girls called out.  
  
"Mom! We fixed our bags the proper way. Stephen's way was idiotic!"   
  
Miranda glanced over to her daughter, nodded, and slowly turned back to Andrea who tried to hide her smirk at the words her daughter spoke. She wasn't sure what she should say, but she definitely wasn't participating in any sing along.   
  
"Don't look so worried."   
  
The brunette's voice registered, and Miranda blinked, looking into Andrea's eyes again.  
  
"You don't have to sing if you don't want to." Andy said.  
  
"I don't sing." Miranda replied. "I really should just pack our things and go back... there's so much I should be doing and I've piled it all on to Nigel."  
  
"Look how happy they are." Andy heard herself saying before she could think better of it. "Do you really want to ruin that?"  
  
_Who does this woman think she is?_  Miranda thought, and opened her mouth to speak however Andrea beat her to it.  
  
"Please stay." Andy said, hating how she was practically pleading to spend time with the Runway editor. It was utterly ridiculous. The woman clearly didn't want to be anywhere near her.  
  
Miranda stared into Andrea's eyes. There was something different about the young woman. Something in those brown eyes that had never been there before, and the tone she had used... practically begging her to stay.  _Very strange, but intriguing._  
  
"I always did enjoy your company even if we didn't really speak." Andy said before snapping her mouth shut.  _Stop talking, Sachs, before you make this soooo much worse!_  
  
Miranda cocked an eyebrow at those words. "You know I don't do small talk, Andrea." she said before looking to Caroline and Cassidy.  _For good or worse I am not upsetting my daughters any further. We're staying._  "Girls, we will be staying another night with Andrea and her friends. Say thank you for their kind offer."   
  
The girls beamed widely at this and both rushed over to Andy.   
  
"Thanks Andy!"   
  
"You rock, Andy!"   
  
The brunette heard as both collided into her that she didn't know who said what. She briefly put her arms around them before they pulled away.   
  
"Your boyfriend is so funny, Andy!" Cassidy said.  
  
"Oh, Nate and I aren't together. We split up before Paris." Andy responded.  
  
Miranda raised an eyebrow at this.   
  
"Oh, um, I'm sorry." Cassidy said.  
  
Andy shook her head and waved away Cassidy's words. "No need to be. It was quite a while ago now. We've both moved on. He's engaged now." she said before looking to the Priestly's camping items. "Alright, well, let's start collecting your things and taking them to our camp site." she continued when she noticed only one tent bag. "I only see one tent." she said turning confused eyes to the three Priestly's.  
  
Caroline looked around, frowning.   
  
"What do you mean?" Miranda asked.   
  
Caroline shrugged. "I think we left ours behind."   
  
Miranda closed her eyes and counted to ten. "It’s fine, we'll sleep together."  
  
Andy could see that her former boss was nearly at breaking point and she wondered if this, the Priestly's coming to camp with them, was really the best idea when Miranda Priestly was known to be unpredictable and could easily crack and let the  _Dragon Lady_  fly loose at the flip of a switch if something happened that she didn't like. She didn't want Nate regretting his decision when the two of them had really only just become friendly again, but she also wanted to stay in Miranda's presence, it was quite the dilemma.  
  
~*~  
  
**A Couple Of Hours Later.**  
  
"Why did you do that?" Andy asked, coming up behind Nate who had begun walking away from the camp site.   
  
"It's what you want, isn't it?" Nate responded with raised eyebrows.   
  
"Well, yeah, I just... I never thought you'd be one board with it." Andy replied.  
  
"Eh... it's your life and happiness, and if you think she's going to do that for you then I think you should try." Nate said.  
  
Andy couldn't believe her ears. All the nights Nate called Miranda a psycho and now he was telling her to date the Runway editor. "Nate, thank you, you have no idea how much it means to me that you’re okay with this."  
  
Nate simply nodded.  
  
"But... how did you know?" Andy asked.  
  
"Doug told me one night after one too many beers." Nate replied. "You should know he's not good with secrets, Andy."  
  
Andy laughed, nodding, but she supposed she told Doug in the hopes it would happen this way so she wouldn't have to break it to Nate herself. "Dusty really has mellowed you." she said, smirking. "She's good for you. I'm so happy you found her."  
  
"Technically she found me, but thanks Andy, I'm glad we can be happy for each other." Nate replied.  
  
Andy patted Nate on the shoulder before walking away. "Thanks for outing me." she said as she passed Doug who began coughing on his chug of beer.   
  
"It just slipped out one night. I regretted it instantly."  
  
Andy began laughing. "Don't sweat it, he had to find out someday, and it was better it was now rather than later."   
  
"So, are you going to go for it with you know who?" Doug questioned.  
  
The brunette threw her hands up into the air and sighed exasperatedly. "I don't even know if she would ever like me in that way."  
  
"You never know until you try!" Doug responded.  
  
~*~  
  
"Andy's gay!" Caroline whispered to Cassidy who was munching on more of Nate's snacks while their mom wasn't looking.   
  
"No way!" Cassidy said, smiling widely. "You know what that means..."  
  
"Exactly!" Caroline said. "We have to think of a plan!"  
  
~*~  
  
**Sometime Later.**  
  
Miranda could not believe that she was sat around a crackling fire with her former assistant who she allowed to walk away and conquer her dream of journalism. It was incredibly surreal, and it was an outer body experience for Miranda, and she had no idea what she was doing.  
  
_Why are you here? This is far from normal._  She thought as Doug, the charming gentleman who is Andrea's best friend, laugh away with the ex-boyfriend Nate who were incredibly chummy with each other - no surprise there though after hearing they had been friends since Elementary School - then there was Lily who was very reserved and obviously still unsure why the Dragon Lady was with them, but slowly Miranda could see the African woman relaxing upon realisng Miranda wasn't here frowning upon them and breathing fire.  
  
"Dinner should be about ready." The brunette said, breaking through Miranda’s thoughts.  
  
The  _Runway_  editor sat up to attention.  
  
"What are we eating, Andy?" Cassidy asked.  
  
_Yes, what are we eating?_ Miranda thought incredibly interested to know having seen her former assistant making some kind of concoction earlier from afar as her daughters had wanted to paddle board some more and so Miranda had sat and kept an eye on them close by to the water.  
  
"Andy's specialty." Lilly said from where she stood a few steps away by the water smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Lasagna cupcakes." Doug excitedly said, sitting down on the log next to Caroline, rubbing his hands together. "I'm absolutely starved!"  
  
"Lasagna with a twist." Cassidy said.  
  
"I like that." Cassidy said as Andy opened up the mini camper oven and pulled out the tray.  
  
"Lasagna cupcakes?" Miranda asked. "How interesting.” she added as she perused the food.   
"Well, they do smell delicious, but do they live up to that?"  
  
Andy chuckled albeit a little nervously. "Well, let's see if the judge says so." she replied, placing two on a plastic plate, holding it out for Miranda. "However please be gentle as I'm new to this whole cooking thing."  
  
"You can thank me later for teaching her." Nate chimed in as he sat down next to the brunette.  
  
Miranda sniffed. "I make no promises." she responded, but had a smirk playing on her lips. She picked up the small-ish sized lasagna cupcake and took a bite. She took her time chewing - as she always did when eating - before swallowing. "Well, I definitely don't like it." she said as she put the lasagna back onto the plate, looking away from the young woman.   
  
Andy frowned, but tried to not let the words get her down - knowing not everyone liked the same food - "Really?" she asked. "Maybe I did something wrong."   
  
"Andy's cooking is amazing, but I suppose it takes certain types to be able to appreciate it properly." Lily said, distain on her voice.  
  
Miranda bit the inside of her lip knowing she has rubbed off badly on Lily. She watched as Andrea leaned forward to grab the plate from her lap, but she instead gently pushed the hand away. "You didn't let me finished." she said, continuing. "I love it. Very tasty and different."   
  
"Oh." Andy said, her heart racing at the sensation of Miranda's hand still on her own. She slowly looked up and her eyes connected with Miranda's. "Oh." she said again as she saw something different in Miranda's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak and even though she didn't know what she had been about to say or do she was stopped when the twins interrupted and asked for their dinner to be served.  
  
"Can we have some cola?" Caroline asked.  
  
"Yeah mom, please?" Cassidy chimed in, eyes wide and giddy.   
  
"I think I brought a bottle along with us." Miranda responded.  
  
"If not we have plenty." Andy commented.   
  
"Oh no, that's alright. I think it's... right here." Miranda said, pulling out the 1.25 litre bottle of soda.  
  
"Yummy!" Cassidy said as she watched the dark liquid being poured into her cup.  
  
"Thanks." Andy murmured as she also got a generously filled cup.   
  
Miranda looked apologetically to the others as after the girls and Andrea there was only a dribble left.   
  
Doug just laughed. "Don't worry, like Andy said, we have plenty."  
  
"You don't drink cola often?" Lily asked, coming over to sit with them.  
  
"Twice a week, sometimes on the weekend if there's a special occasion." Cassidy responded, sipping from her cup.  
  
"I prefer clean eating and drinking." Miranda commented not that she should have to explain herself to these people.   
  
"I think it's a good thing. Ma tried our best doing that with my siblings and I, but it didn't work for long." Andy replied.  
  
"Too much of  _KFC_  lovers." Doug chimed in, laughing.   
  
"As are you." Andy shot back, also laughing.  
  
"No, we all know Doug is more of a Domino's lover as of late." Nate said, smirking.  
  
"Only because of the hot tumuli that works there." Andy said.   
  
"Drew." Doug said in a dreamy voice. "But in my defense he started coming onto me first."   
  
"And has he asked you out yet?" Nate questioned, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"No, it's been very slow moving, but I think we’re getting there." Doug replied.  
  
"You're sure he's gay and not just being polite, right?" Lily asked.  
  
Doug began laughing even more then. "Oh honey, we all know that my gaydar is one hundred percent. He is waaay up there on the radar."  
  
"Drew is just very shy." Andy said.  
  
"Exactly, a very quiet soul." Doug responded, nodding. "Nothing wrong with that."  
  
"if he doesn't act fast I think we'll have to go in there and pretend to be on a date or something, and then you go back in afterwards and say it went terrible, and then wham... he's in your arms just where you want." Nate said. "I mean, you've been separated from Ryan for how long now? Time to move on, buddy." he added, patting Doug on the back.  
  
Doug sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, yes... I know." he replied, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"Dougie's just taking his time. No need to rush." Andy said, smiling at her best friend.   
  
"I think it's time our Andy found her true love also." Nate continued speaking.   
  
"Nate..." Andy said, laughing, and in a warning tone nervously not looking over towards Miranda.   
  
"What! I'm just saying... that person could be right in front of you, and you don't know until you try, and it could be the greatest thing and you will think back and wonder why you took so long." Nate responded.  
  
"Oh you know because I don't want to get humiliated." Andy said, shaking her head.  
  
"I did it with Darcy." Caroline chimed in. "Lunch time last month... I walked straight up to Darcy and asked her out."  
  
"And mind you she's a grade higher than us." Cassidy said. "Anything could have gone wrong."  
"But she said yes and she came over for dinner the next night, and we have been dating ever since." Caroline said, absolutely beaming.  
  
"You should just tell whoever it is you like that you want to be with them because there's no point hiding away... that isn't going to get you anywhere, and you could be incredibly surprised to find that this person you've been crushing on feels the exact same way towards you that you do for them." Cassidy said.  
  
Andy couldn't believe she was getting advice and being told to take the leap of faith by two fourteen year olds.  _Never imagined that happening!_  "Are you enjoying your dinner?" she asked looking at the girls.  
  
"Ah, the old avoidance tactic." Doug said laughingly and snapped his mouth shut when Andy gave him a look that told him to stop talking.  
  
"Yes, like what Mom said, they're very tasty!" Cassidy said.  
  
"I love the tomato sauce you used." Caroline said.  
  
"What kind is it?" Cassidy asked.  
  
"It's my Ma's recipe." Andy replied. "I can give it to you if you'd like?"  
  
The girls beamed at that. "Yes please, that would be fantastic, Andy!"  
  
Once they finished eating and the girls stood to stretch their legs Andy leaned closer to Miranda, placing her empty cup in the "to wash" box. "That isn't real  _Coca Cola._ "   
  
At Andrea's murmured words the  _Runway_  editor smirked, raising a hand to her mouth in a shhh position. "They don't know." she whispered, and if they did they never complained.  
  
Andy shrugged. "Your secrets safe with me." she replied, winking.  
  
Miranda's breath caught.  
  
~*~  
  
**Later That Night.**  
  
"Is everything okay?" Andy questioned as she stepped next to Miranda who had wandered off from the fire once the twins had gone to bed.  
  
"Oh. Yes." Miranda replied, seemingly distracted with her thoughts. "I just..." she trailed off, shaking her head.  
  
"You can talk to me, Miranda, I would never judge you." Andy said softly and the other woman turned to her with a small smile.  
  
"I know... I just don't really talk about it... my mother." Miranda started. "We would constantly sing together at the piano every night until everything turned to shit. I haven't done any kind of singing since..."  
  
"Tonight." Andy murmured. "Wow, Miranda, I...”  
  
"Don't feel bad. You didn't know." Miranda responded, touching Andrea's hand for the second time that night. "However singing tonight with you lot... I forgot how nice and calming it could be, and I feel incredibly ridiculous to not have allowed myself to sing for some stupid bizarre reason when at the end of the day my mother doesn't deserve my grief."  
  
"What happened?" Andy couldn't help but ask. "Sorry, I sh-"  
  
"No, it's alright." Miranda said. "My mother turned her back on me when I found out about a dirty... very huge... secret she had. She was..." she sighed, shaking her head, stomach churning at the simple thought of it. "Relations... sexual... with Dennis... my brother... her son." she saw Andrea's eyes widen, but continued. "It had been happening for years apparently, and I found out in the early 90's and we both turned our backs on each other. My sister, Marilyn, sided with them, and my brother Daniel came to live with me until '96 when he died." she suddenly looked to Andrea then, taken aback by her emotions and how she had let her walls fully down with Andrea in this one moment and she couldn't take it back. She bit the inside of her lip. "I've only ever told two people about this. If the press were to get a hold of it they'd have a field day and I-"  
  
"I would never tell anyone, believe me, I'm good at keeping secrets babe."   
  
Miranda blinked at the word of endearment however chalked it down to the simple fact that Andrea had had quite a bit to drink and the young generation these days seemed to like using “babe" and "honey" to their friends.   
  
Even though the  _Runway_  editor would like it to mean that Andrea had feelings for her she knew that could only ever happen in her dreams and she shouldn't even be thinking of that now.  
  
"I'm sorry about your brother." Andy said, cutting through the silence which had fallen over them.   
  
"Oh, it's alright, but thank you. I had a while with him to be able to say goodbye and we were able to achieve all of his wish list which was absolutely fantastic." Miranda responded.  
  
"What happened?" Andy found herself asking Miranda yet another personal question even though she knew she should really just be quiet. "How did he...?" she asked, of course her mouth acting otherwise.  
  
"Went home for the first time with this handsome young man he had been pining over for years... he lived down the street from us... and a month later they were both diagnosed with HIV. Micky hadn't realised he was sick and was absolutely mortified to know he had made Danny sick too. The first couple of years were rough, but they both managed to find peace and accept what was happening in the third year and the three of us spent a lot of time together. They remained living with Eric and I, but then a year later... a couple days before New Year’s Eve... I noticed it was like a light had gone out in Micky's eyes and the sickness took him. Not long after Daniel stopped fighting also." Miranda said, sniffling and realisng she had silent tears running down her cheeks. "I don't know why I'm crying... he never liked seeing me like this."  
  
"It's okay to cry, Miranda, it doesn't make you weak and I'm not judging you." Andy replied, wiping at her own tears.  
  
Miranda pulled out a tissue from the inside of her bra, and dabbed at her eyes. She then held out another to Andrea who accepted it with a soft thanks.  
  
"Look at us... I've made this wonderful night extremely mushy." Miranda said.  
  
Andy chuckled softly. "Don't apologise, silly, it's alright... I'm glad you told me. Thank you for trusting me to open up."  
  
Miranda smiled, nodded, and opened her mouth to speak when someone began approaching them from behind.  
  
"What are you two doing?" Lily called out. "Were about to play  _I Never_."  
  
"Oh god." Andy mumbled, covering her face. "They're so lame." she added even though she did secretly enjoyed playing  _I Never._  
  
Miranda chuckled. "Well, I'm sure this is going to be even more  _lame_  but I've never even played that game before."  
  
"You aren't missing out on much. It's just an excuse to get even drunker." Andy responded.  
  
"Well, this night can only get more bizarre and interesting." Miranda said as she began turning back around. "Shall we?" she asked, motioning towards the camp site where they could hear the fire crackling away and the laughter of Andrea's friends.  
  
"Lead the way!"  
  
~*~  
  
"Oh, boy." Miranda said, leaning back in her chair, running her hands through her hair. "I don't know why you said that game was lame." she said, looking over to Andrea through lidded eyes as Lily stood excusing herself to use the loo. "It was very fascinating. You're much more ballsier than I once thought." she added, having found out quite a lot from the small town woman - some of the things having been shocking and a little outrageous not to mention lots and lots of embarrassing stories all in the span of fourty minutes - she now knew more about Andréa than she had ever known about Stephen.  
  
"Oh, god!" Andy moaned, covering her face with her hands still embarrassed at some of the stories her equally drunken friends had told her former boss. "I'm really, really sorry you had to hear all of that."  
  
"No, don't be. It's all very amusing... in a good way." Miranda replied, continuing. "It has just made me want to know more. At such a young age you've lived an incredibly rich life. I am... quite jealous. I don't have any outrageously funny stories like that. I lived a very boring, uptight life, and I sometimes wish I could be another person... one who isn't so arrogant and selfish."  
  
"I don't see you like that." Andy responded.  
  
Miranda snorted. "That's because you really don't know me, Andrea. I very rarely allow people the chance to be a part of my life... because... because I've always seen myself better than other people and I absolutely hate this part of myself. I'm not a nice person, Andrea."  
"Sure I have seen you in some very heated and unpleasant situations with various people, but what I also have seen and know that deep down you have an amazing heart and a soft spot... you've proven that tonight! You've accepted my friends and have been talking to them and not treating them like peasants... and yes, sure you and I had our moments, but you were nice to me plenty of times whether you realised it or not. You are a good person, Miranda, and you need to start believing in yourself more."  
  
Miranda smiled at Andrea. "You're an incredibly lovely person, Andrea, and I can see why everyone around you absolutely adores you... I could always see that about you... there was something magnificent deep inside you... your parents should be very proud of raising such an incredibly talented and intelligent woman who deserves nothing but the best in this life and you're so sweet to think you can see this good... nice... side of me, but it's far from true. I've done far too many unpleasant things to have a nice side to me. I don't deserve to be nice... to have true happiness. God, even my girls are slowly waking up to this fact and as you've seen have been threatening to go and live with their Father."  
  
Andy shook her head. "They're just trying to get your attention."  
  
"No, they're very serious when they say it. This trip was a bribe to try and salvage my relationship with them more so than with Stephen. Truthfully I don't even want to be here... it's the last place I would come for a vacation. Not to mention there is so much work at Runway to be done."  
  
"Okay, I can understand that you're very firm in the way you think and that there is nothing I can say to make you change your mind, but I still firmly believe what I see that you cannot." Andy responded, finishing off her beer and desperately needing to burp. She decided to just do so in front of Miranda because let’s face it everyone burped. "Sorry." she said a moment later, but Miranda hadn't even blinked an eye. "I hope that someday you'll be able to see yourself the way I see you."  
  
"You're very sweet, Andrea, and I hope you stay this way and don't ever let anyone change you and you can find happiness." Miranda said, ignoring her feelings of wishing she could make Andrea happy, and even though she had this inkling that Andrea would allow that in a heartbeat - seeing a certain spark come to Andrea's eyes every time the young woman saw her - but Miranda knew ultimately that could never end well.  
  
"I wish the same for you too, Miranda, as you're a magnificent person and even though you don't believe it you do deserve happiness and  _you will_  find it someday when you least expect it." Andy replied.  
  
Miranda smiled at the words before looking at her watch. 11:15PM. Even though back at home this was still incredibly early for her she knew she had to get some sleep for another day of endless hiking and wonder the whole time why she had agreed to this stupid vacation. "It's getting late." she said, standing from the chair, and stifling a fake yawn. "I suppose we should call it a night."  
  
"Oh." Andy said, looking at her phone and seeing the early hour. "Yeah... of course. We have a big day ahead."  
  
Miranda was sure she heard and saw disappointment in Andrea's voice and a flicker across her face, but the brunette recovered quickly. However she told herself she was being ridiculous and that Andrea couldn't and wouldn't have feelings for her. The woman was 25 for goodness sake and it was beyond outrageous that she was even allowing herself to feel attracted to the young woman in the first place.  _But good god she is so beautiful._  She couldn't help but think as she side stepped to try and get around the young woman but Andrea also stepped to the same side.  
  
Andy swallowed hard at Miranda's close proximity before taking an awkwardly large step to the other side and the  _Runway_  editor began to walk pass. "Good night." she softly said, breathing in deeply as Miranda's heavenly perfume filled her senses.   
  
"Yes, good night." Miranda said over her shoulder.  
  
"Is Miranda going to bed?"   
  
Miranda heard Lily say behind her.  
  
"Yeah." Andy replied.  
  
"I was going to suggest a night walk." Lily responded.  
  
"Sounds perfect." Andy replied.  
  
Miranda, without realising, stopped walking and turned back around. "Patricia can go with you if you'd like." she said as her beloved  _Saint Bernard_  was still wide awake surprisingly. "Just keep her on the leash."  
  
"Sure." Andy responded as Patricia came bounding over excitedly. She smiled widely at Miranda's obvious concern for her and Lily going walkabout at this time of night. "See... you do have a soft spot." she thought, but did not say. "If only Miranda Priestly could see herself the way I do." she thought as she longingly watched Miranda disappear into the tent.  
  
~*~  
  
**The Next Morning.**  
  
"About last night." Miranda started, having pulled Andrea aside after breakfast. "I let my emotions take over and I apologise."  
  
"Oh, hey... you don't have to apologise and you definitely don't have to leave." Andy said, having worried as soon as she saw Miranda's and Caroline and Cassidy's bags and tent all packed up.  
  
"We aren't leaving, even though I had planned to, but I promised my daughters this vacation, and I can't back down now." Miranda responded, continuing. "We are moving camp, aren't we?" she asked, rolling her eyes, absolutely annoyed by having to pack everything up and move to find another camp area once more. Home time tomorrow afternoon couldn't come soon enough.   
  
"Come on, surely there's a part of you that is enjoying being out here in the wild." Andy responded, nudging the older woman, absolutely ecstatic knowing that Miranda was staying one more night.  
  
Miranda sniffed. "No comment." she replied, and began to walk away.  
  
However Andy didn't miss the smile that spread on Miranda's face as the older woman turned away. "Oh, okay..." she laughingly said and she had this extremely strong feeling that she could get Miranda to confess she was enjoying herself by the end of the trip.  
  
~*~  
  
**Six Hours Later.**  
  
"I think we should camp here for the night." Lily said where they had stopped to sit and have a break.  
  
_Oh, thank god._ Miranda thought having had enough of walking for one day.   
  
Andy and Nate looked around as the twins did the same and the brunette turned to Miranda with a raised eyebrow. "What do you think?"  
  
The  _Runway_  editor shrugged at Andrea's questioning look. "You're the experts out here. If you think this is a good spot then great."  
  
"I'm really not feeling good. Stopping for the night sounds best." Doug said, his stomach churning so much so that Miranda could hear it from where she stood next to the young man.  
  
"You're looking incredibly pale." Miranda commented. "You need to keep your fluids up. I'll get you some water."   
  
"I didn't think you drank all that much last night?" Nate asked.  
  
"I didn't." Doug responded. "Not enough to make me feel like this."  
  
"Alright, just sit down." Nate said, knowing instantly that his normally cheerful and outgoing friend was definitely under the weather.   
  
"You don't think it's contagious do you?" Caroline asked, following her mom over to the bag which Andy had dropped.  
  
"Probably not. He didn't look the best last night either, and if he was contagious we would be showing signs now too." Miranda responded, looking over at her daughter. "I wouldn't worry, bobbsey." she added knowing how much her daughters hated being sick with the stomach flu. "Hold this, please." she said, and Caroline took the plastic cup as Miranda pulled out a bottle of water which they had filled up earlier that day from one of the waterfalls.  
Once she filled the cup she walked back over to Doug. "Here you go, drink it slowly."  
  
Doug did so, but a second later he pushed the cup away and stood and made it three steps away before the contents of his stomach came flowing from his mouth. His three friends instantly guided him away, telling him that everything was going to be okay that he wasn't alone.   
  
"Doug doesn't like being sick either." Cassidy commented the obvious.  
  
"Please don't be contagious." Caroline prayed.  
  
~*~  
  
"Lily called up a ranger, but there is nothing they can do." Andy said, shaking her head. "Doug is in absolute agony."   
  
"That's not right. I'll call for a helicopter. He can't suffer like this out here for god knows how long." Miranda responded.  
  
"Thank you so much, Miranda." Andy replied. "This isn't why I told you though."  
  
Miranda waved the words away. "I know. I want to help your friend. It's the least I could do. I'll find the sat phone and make the calls. He'll be in the nearest hospital as soon as possible."  
  
Andy dared to take Miranda's hand and squeezed it. "You're amazing in more ways than one." she heard herself saying before she could think better of it.   
  
Miranda blinked at Andrea's words.  _Apparently it wasn't just the alcohol talking last night._ She smiled. "I'll make the calls." she said, not sure what else to say and too nervous to say what she felt deep down.   
  
~*~  
  
"A helicopter is on route." Andy informed Doug.  
  
"That woman is magical." Doug responded as he paced, waiting for the next round of sickness to hit him. The afternoon had been a nightmare for him and he never wished this sickness on even his worst enemy. "Oh god, it's starting again."  
  
Andy cringed. "Is there anything I can do?"  
  
"Andy, I love you and you're such a gem, but only a hot doctor like  _McSteamy_  could help make this pain go away." Doug replied, tears trailing down his face as he reseated himself on the make-shift toilet - a camper chair Nate had cut a hole into with a black garbage bag attached underneath for Lily who hadn't wanted to squat to pee - and groaned in pain and discomfort. "I hate this friggen flu!"  
  
~*~


	2. Chapter 2

**Three Hours Later.  
**  
"I feel awful that you stayed behind." Miranda said where she stood with her girls and Andrea as they watched the helicopter get further into the distance.   
  
"Don't be. Doug wasn't going to let me on the helicopter even if I tried." Andy replied.  
  
"Why?" Miranda questioned, frowning. "I thought he was your best friend?"  
  
"He is. He's like a brother to me which is why he wanted me to stay... here... with you." Andy replied.  
  
Miranda swallowed hard at those words. She knew what it meant. This strange young woman wasn't just being polite... she was relaxed and cheerful and flirty around her because she had an attraction for her.   
  
Still a little unsure and incredibly nervous on whether or not Miranda felt the same - even though she got a sense of an inkling last night Andy couldn't be sure - she continued speaking as confidently as possible. "It's only one more night, and in Doug's state I'd just be sitting in an uncomfortable waiting room chair, and he didn't want that. He knew how happy I was being out here and he ordered me to stay." she looked into Miranda's unsure eyes. "It's okay. I want to be here." she then turned to the girls. "Let's get started on dinner!"  
  
~*~  
  
"How is  _SNL_  not part of your education?"" Andy asked, shocked that Caroline and Cassidy didn't watch one of her most favourite TV shows which she has grown up on.  
  
"We grew up watching a lot of UK shows." Caroline said, shrugging.  
  
"I preferred my girls growing up with British humour like I did, no offence." Miranda chimed in, sipping on her bottle of beer.  
  
"None taken." Andy replied, holding up her hands. "However the three of you have been missing out."  
  
Miranda shrugged. "Not really." she replied, firmly set on her roots.  
  
Andy shook her head and released a pained and frustrated sigh.  
  
"Sorry, darling, but American humour has very rarely appealed to me." Miranda added. She paused at the word she'd used.  
  
The brunette's heart raced at the word of endearment and she couldn't believe her ears. The only time she had ever heard Miranda say that was to Nigel and they have been friends for years and years. She watched as the  _Runway_  editors face flushed upon realising what she had said.  
  
Thankfully though the girls didn't pick up on it as they continued speaking together and Miranda breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Fat chance were missing out. It looks hella boring." Caroline said.  
  
"Language." Miranda firmly said.  
  
"Sorry." Caroline replied, smiling sheepishly.  
  
"Alright then. All of you... what are your favourite shows?" Andy questioned, looking at each Priestly, her eyes lingering longer than necessary with Miranda's and the older woman licked her lips, her cheeks flushing even more, and Andy wondered if Miranda's heart was racing as wildly as her own.  
  
" _McLeod's Daughters_  and  _The Bill_." Caroline replied.  
  
"Those and  _Doctor Who, Mr. Bean_  and  _Absolutely Fabulous._ " Cassidy said.  
  
"Oh yes, I love Patsy!" Caroline said.   
  
Andy smiled. She also watched the latter show.  
  
"You're forgetting two." Miranda commented. "The Vic-"  
  
" _Vicar of Dibley!_  Of course." Caroline said.   
  
"And  _Monarch of the Gle_ n and  _Keeping Up Appearances._ " Miranda said.  
  
"Mind the cyclist, Richard!" Cassidy quoted in a brilliant Hyacinth voice.  
The others laughed at that.  
  
"The list could go on and on." Cassidy said.  
  
"Well, you did name a couple I have seen. Who doesn't love  _The Vicar of Dibley_  and  _Absolutely Fabulous?!_ " Andy asked laughingly. "Doctor Who I've seen a few episodes of, but never sat down and watched all of it. I never have enough time." she then looked to Miranda. "What about you?"  
  
"Well, _Ab Fab_  of course. Hmmm... I've always enjoyed  _Blackadder_  and  _Red Dwarf_ , mind you I haven't watched those in a very long time. There's not really a show that I sit down every week to watch as like you said... there's not enough time." Miranda responded.  
  
"I've never seen those." Andy replied, cupping a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry!" she said, laughing.  
  
Miranda chuckled. "No surprise there. They're so old and you probably wouldn't like it."  
  
"Hey now... I wouldn't go saying that... I'd probably surprise you and actually enjoy them as it is I've loved a wide variety of movies and TV series and music over the years." Andy replied. "My parents have always said I'm an old soul."  
  
Miranda smiled. "Alright, I'll take your word for it."  
  
Andy smiled also before turning back to the girls. "What about  _F.R.I.E.N.D.S?_  Surely you've seen some of that?" she questioned, but they instantly shook their heads. " _Star Wars?_ " she tried once more and again the twin’s shook their heads and she face palmed her head and groaned in shock and disbelief. "You all need a serious American TV and movie marathon to widen all of your horizons!"  
  
"Can Andy come back to the house to watch TV once we get back?" Cassidy suddenly asked.  
  
Miranda hadn't been expecting that, but she shouldn't be as surprised as she was having seen how much Caroline and Cassidy had taken quite the shine to Andrea. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sure Andrea will be busy and as it is we've already pulled her away from her friends."  
  
"Actually since  _Runway_  my life has been pretty boring and uneventful." Andy replied. "And you guys do after all need to broaden your horizons." she said, looking into Miranda's eyes, daring the editor to say yes.   
  
Miranda let out a slow breath. She never thought she would be having a possible movie afternoon with Andrea Sachs let alone be sitting with the brunette beauty in front of a crackling fire in the Californian national forest. "Then I see no reason as to why you couldn't come around."  
  
The girls cheered excitedly at those words.   
  
"However..." Miranda continued, looking to Andrea. "Don't be too surprised if we don't like your yankee shows."  
  
Andy began laughing at that. "Oh, I'm a big girl... I'm sure I can handle it." she replied, and dared to wink at Miranda.  
  
_Oh my goodness. She's flirting with me again. How is this possible?!_  Miranda thought, instantly her sip of beer went down the wrong pipe, and she began coughing.  _This can only happen in my dreams!_  
  
"Are you okay?" Andy asked, instantly concerned.  
  
Miranda nodded, waving the words away. "I'm fine." she said a few moments later once she got the coughing under control. "Just went down the wrong way."  
  
Caroline grabbed the bottle of half empty S _an Pellegrino_  and poured her mom a cup.  
  
"Thank you, bobbsey." Miranda said, taking said cup and sipping slowly.   
  
"Don't you hate it when that happens?" Andy asked.   
  
"Indeed." Miranda said, unsure what to think or say now.  
  
"Can we go for a night walk?!" Cassidy asked.  
  
"Yeah!" Caroline said. "Please, can we?!"  
  
Andy shrugged, looking to Miranda.   
  
"Yes!" Miranda replied, standing quickly and grabbing Patricia's leash, avoiding Andrea's eyes. She was suddenly and extremely nervous. "Let's go for a walk."  
  
~*~  
  
**Sometime Later**.  
  
"Wow, I've never seen them this exhausted before." Miranda whispered as she and Andrea watched her two daughters who she had sent to get dressed for bed already sound asleep in their tent.   
  
"They'll be sore tomorrow." Andy replied.  
  
"They really like you." Miranda suddenly heard herself saying.   
  
Andy smiled, turning to look at the older woman in the dim light - the fire crackling behind them illuminating Miranda's face wonderfully. She shrugged. "I just treat them like I treat anyone of any age. They said Stephen never did that."  
  
"Yes, well, Stephen didn't do a lot of things. I honestly don't even know why I gave him a second chance when he had already proven to not only be a terrible husband but an even worse father figure. He never wanted to spend any quality time with them and so when the girls asked me about this vacation I thought that it might be what could bring us back together but look how that turned out. He couldn't put down his flask for even five minutes. I don't know what I was thinking bringing someone so toxic into my girls lives." she stopped then when Andrea yawned and she shook her head. "Not only am I rambling but I'm boring you. You should get some rest."   
  
"Woah, hey, you're not boring me!" Andy murmured, placing a hand atop Miranda's where it rest on the older woman’s thigh. "Sometimes we yawn because our brains need oxygen. I am far from tired. The way work has been lately and procrastinating on how terrible my future looks... nights generally are sleepless."  
  
"Oh, please." Miranda said, rolling her eyes. "Your future will be far from terrible. I've been reading your columns and with the way you're going not only will you have an extremely bright future but you'll have the  _Pulitzer_  price in your hands before you know it."  
  
"Oh, geez." Andy covered her face, feeling herself blushing from Miranda's confidence. "You do know that flattery will get you everywhere."  
  
Miranda swallowed hard as suddenly all the things and places she'd like to get with the young brunette flashed passed her eyes. She cleared her throat.   
  
"We should have a night cap." Andy suggested. "That's if you're not tired?"  
  
"No. I'm not tired." Miranda replied. "A night cap would be great."  
  
"Great." Andy beamed. "I have whisky."  
  
"So do I." Miranda replied. "Have you ever tried  _McAllen's?_ "  
  
"Never."   
  
"Well, tonight’s your lucky night." Miranda replied, and she did what she thought she'd never do, she dared to wink at Andrea. If Andrea wanted to play this flirtatious game then so would she.   
  
"Oh, trust me, I already feel incredibly lucky... being here with you like this..." Andy said.  
  
Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" she questioned, smirking.  
  
Andy simply winked in reply.  
  
~*~  
  
"One chip... that's all I get?" Miranda questioned as she watched Andrea eat from her packet of ranch chips.   
  
"Yes, you only get one... you made me annoyed." Andy replied with a huff, feigning hurt.  
  
Miranda chuckled and bit her lip. "Who would have thought you'd be so easy to stir up."  
  
"And who would have thought Miranda Priestly was such a shit stirrer." Andy said.  
  
Miranda chuckled some more. "It comes out in full swing once I get a few whiskies in me." she responded. "Neither of my ex-husbands enjoyed it... they just never could understand me."  
  
"They sound like complete dickheads." Andy replied.  
  
More laughter bubbled up from inside Miranda - emotions which she very rarely used. "I agree. I'm not sure what I saw in them." she said, shaking her head. "I don't regret Eric though or else I wouldn't have my babies." she added, looking over to the tent.  
  
"They are fantastic girls, you've raised them perfectly." Andy commented.  
  
Miranda smiled. "Thank you for saying that." she said, sipping her whisky and watching as Andrea bit her lip. "So, why do you consider yourself incredibly lucky to be here... with me?" she heard herself asking however unsure if it was a good idea to even entertain the ideas of being intimate with the brunette beauty. "I'm just an ordinary old woman underneath all the couture and money and glamourous life style."  
  
"I beg to differ." Andy instantly said.   
  
Miranda raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I mean, come on, I've seen firsthand that you're far from ordinary and oh my god you're not old! My 85 year old Gran is old. You're in many ways in the prime of your life!"   
  
"You mean the prime time to have a mid-life crisis?!" Miranda questioned with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"No! Seriously, get these thoughts of being old out of your head. You're a stunning 43 year old that has so much of her wonderful life to conquer, and any person, no dickheads of course, would be so lucky to conquer the world with you." Andy replied, her eyes firmly connected with Miranda's.  
  
"You think far too highly of me." Miranda commented, shaking her head.  
  
"And I think you doubt yourself too much because of all the toxic words you read and hear about yourself." Andy said, continuing. "You hear all these words that you can't help but start seeing yourself the way they see you when in fact they're the ones who are the dragon's breathing fiery fake lies about a woman they don't even actually know."  
  
"You're beyond baffling." Miranda said, staring wordlessly at the young brunette. "But there's something about you that I can't seem to shake."  
  
Andy smiled, her heart racing. "There's something about you also." she responded. "I don't know how to explain it, but I really like you."  
  
Miranda shook her head. "You shouldn't."  
  
"Why?" Andy shot back, frowning.  
  
"It could never end well. None of my relationships do." Miranda said. "And you're an extremely good and kind person and I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"You don't know what the future will bring, Miranda, you can't hold yourself back from future relationships that could turn out to be absolutely beautiful and lasts forever because of two failed marriages which I know weren't all your fault. Those dickheads played huge roles in the down falls of those marriages and they never deserved you." Andy firmly said and she couldn't believe that she was having such a heartfelt conversation with the phenomenal Runway editor who thought herself far too lowly than she should.   
  
"Nothing lasts forever." Miranda commented.  
  
"In here it does." Andy said, their eyes connecting again as she placed a hand over her chest. "But you're avoiding what I am saying."  
  
"No, I'm not." Miranda said, shaking her head. "I just find it hard to see myself the way you apparently see me. I've been burned one too many times and not just by those dickheads, but I've also burned one too many people with my own scathing words and actions. Oh, Andrea..." she laughed then. "if only you knew everything then you would know why I see myself the way I do."  
  
"One day, if I'm ever so lucky, you can confide in me and I'll be all ears... I would never judge you or laugh at you." Andy replied.  
  
Miranda blinked at the brunette and again shook her head. "That won't happen because I don't deserve the kind of happiness I know that you have inside of you to give." she said and oddly felt tears welling in her eyes.   
  
"Now you're being an idiot because there is good in you, Miranda Priestly, you're not a bad person like you think you are. I want to slap all of that nonsense out of you!" Andy said, shuffling closer to Miranda. "You deserve all the happiness in the world!"  
  
"No, please stop talking." Miranda said, standing and walking a few steps away. "This cannot happen." she said, and noticed that her hands were shaking as the tears fell down her cheeks.  
  
"It's okay for you to cry in front of me, Miranda, crying doesn't make you weak." Andy said.   
  
"I know, and I don't know why I'm crying... I never cry like this." Miranda replied. "It's you... your bizarre kindness... it's everything you are, and I don't like how it makes me feel." _utterly vulnerable._ And it scared the shit out of Miranda. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt such a way - in fact Miranda doesn't think she has ever felt such a way - and she didn't like this. "I'm not used to feeling like this." she heard herself saying. She knew she should turn around and go into the tent and wake up the next morning the  _Dragon Lady_  and go back to her normal life and act as if none of this ever happened because that was the safe thing to do. Putting her heart on the line and risking the pain of humiliation and heartache was something Miranda never wanted to feel especially from Andrea Sachs.   
  
_Walk away, Miranda, just walk away. You don't need her. You've been doing just fine on your own.  
_  
"Miranda." Andy said, coming up behind the  _Runway_  editor and with shaking hands placed them on Miranda's shoulders. "Please let me in."  
  
_Don't do it! You don't need her! She could never understand you!_  
  
"You make me feel something... something that I have never felt before, Andrea, and it's..." Miranda trailed off, shaking her head.  
  
"Scary." Andy said.  
  
Miranda slowly nodded at Andrea's words. "Yes." she breathed. "You have to know that I haven't let my guard down like this in such a long time that I really am scared for the first time in... I don't even know how long... that I could lose myself in your kindness and everything else that you have in that magnificent heart of yours because I think for the very first time that you're that one and only person who could truly shatter my heart to pieces and I know this because of the way I felt when I watched you walk away from me in Paris as you walked away with a piece of that part of me that I've been hiding away for so long and now back in your company... how normal it feels... that piece was instantly put back into place when I saw you the other evening and I feel like... like I could be the version of me that I never dared to dream I could be until now... with you."  
  
The brunette had tears in her eyes. "I hate that I hurt you like that." she whispered.  
  
Miranda waved those words away. "I believe it was meant to happen that way. We both needed to learn a lot of lessons."  
  
Andy nodded. "I've done a lot of growing up and soul searching and I believe I can..." her breath caught at what she was about to say. “I believe I can be your equal now."  
  
The  _Runway_  editor slowly turned around, her heart pounding and it was all she could hear in her ears, as her eyes connected with Andrea's and her own breath caught at everything that she saw in Andrea's gorgeous brown eyes. "Yes, you are more than qualified for that position." she responded, a little bit of her  _Runway_  demeanor coming out in a cheeky tone as she felt her face transforming her usually unreadable face into a wide smile as Andrea - darling Andrea - laughed heartily.  
  
"I'm glad we both agree." Andy whispered, and with a deep breath she raised her hand and cupped Miranda’s right cheek. "You're out of this world beautiful and utterly magnificent in every way that I am already falling for you..."  
  
Miranda slowly nodded at Andrea's words as both of their tears fell freely. "I think I am too." she whispered back and before she realised it they had slowly moved closer to each other, their heads inches apart and their mouths nearly touching just as the loud sound of a cows angry mooing caused them to jump apart in shock as they looked around wildly and several steps away beyond the tree they could see the eyes of said cow.  
  
"Shoo!" Andy called out, waving a hand, and the farm animal slowly turned around and moved away. She began laughing again as she briefly dropped her head onto Miranda's shoulder. "Oh my god, did we really just nearly poop ourselves from a freakin' cow?!" she asked, beginning to giggle as Miranda held onto her tightly as they huddled in front of the fire.  
  
"Yes." Miranda responded and also chuckled. "No doubt from a dumb and sexually frustrated cow." she added through their laughter. "Now that I remember I did see a herd of cows that way." she said as she pointed behind Andrea where the cow had been. "Or was it that way." she looked to her right, unsure of the direction in her whisky and desire fueled brain.  
  
"You're breathtaking." Andy whispered, her own head buzzing from the whisky, as she stared at the older woman.  
  
Miranda slowly turned to face the brunette again. "You're so bli-" she was stopped by Andrea's glorious soft lips were on hers and getting over her stunned surprise from the brunette's action she began to move her own lips with Andrea's. She felt a shot of arousal shoot through her body at the sound of a small moan escaping Andrea's plumb lips.  
  
In all of her lifetime Miranda Priestly had never experienced such a breathtaking, heart stopping and utterly passionate kiss, and not only that, but she felt her right leg lifting up in such a romantic and seriously cliché pop.  
  
Miranda was head over heels in love with one Andrea Sachs and she had to put all of her trust into the brunette and have faith that Andrea's own feelings were as pure and true as they seem and her brunette beauty doesn't make her regret taking such a major out of character leap of faith into the unknown territory of true love.  
  
~*~  
  
**The Next Morning.**  
  
For the first time in god knows how long Miranda actually woke with a smile as she stared at the sleeping beauty next to her - her sleeping beauty - her heart raced at that knowing that she could call Andrea hers.  
  
Memories of the night before after her very first foot popping kiss flashed passed her eyes.  
  
_"That was... oh my... wow." Andrea breathlessly said as she held onto her body and Miranda felt the young woman was trembling.  
  
"Are you okay?" She questioned softly, a little concerned.  
  
"Yes, more than okay." Andrea breathed in response, their eyes connecting and at the love she saw in her former assistant’s eyes it took her breath away and she actually began to feel lightheaded. "I... I think I need to lay down." she said. The way Andrea made her feel and the quantity of whisky she had consumed hitting her with full force.  
  
"Let's get into the tent." Andrea said, guiding her towards it. "I can't believe I'm about to share a tent and snuggle with Miranda Priestly."   
  
Miranda heard Andrea say. She laughed at Andrea's obvious excitement and still couldn't believe Andrea was exactly that - endlessly excited - to be with her in such a way.  
  
Cuddling had always been so mundane to her, but now she had a feeling that Andrea would be changing her perspective on not only cuddling, but a whole heap of things.  
  
If all went well - and this wasn't some  _"What happens on the Pacific Crest Trail stays on the Pacific Crest Trail"_  as Andrea was extremely young and she may realise she isn't ready as she once thought to embark on such a serious relationship with a 43 divorcee with two moody teenage twins - then this new relationship was going to be incredibly interesting and no doubt would change her life around for the better.  
  
They settled into the tent and fell quiet. Her brunette beauty broke the silence a few seconds later.   
  
"My heads spinning." Andrea said, giggling. "Is yours?"  
  
"Yes, incredibly so." Miranda responded.   
  
"Don't worry... if you have to be sick I will hold you." Andrea said.  
  
Miranda chuckled. "I won't be sick, but that's nice to know." she responded. Her ex-husbands had never done that for her. "I'd do the same." she quickly added. This would be such new territory for Miranda that she had to remember that it wasn't only her who would be taking charge of this relationship and she couldn't be as selfish as she once was with her former husbands. Andrea Sachs was going to be good for her. She knew this.  
  
"It feels so good holding you like this." Andrea whispered, her eyes fluttering open and close.  
__  
Miranda smiled at those words and leaned over to seal them with a kiss.  
  
"Mmm... kissing you is so much better." Andrea said, yawning again.  
  
"Let's get some sleep." Miranda whispered.  
  
"Good idea." Andrea said, moaning softly as she rolled even closer into the Runway editor.  
  
Miranda's heart raced at how close Andrea was to her, she could literally feel their hearts beating together.   
  
"I am so glad I came on this trip. I had nearly said no on the morning we were to leave, but I stopped myself as it was like something pulled me, practically dragging me out of the door, and it wouldn't let me say no and now I know why... I was meant to come here so we could cross each other’s paths again." The brunette said. "Fate is a funny thing. That's what my Ma always says."  
  
"It definitely does work in mysterious ways." Miranda responded, holding Andrea tightly.  
  
"I never thought I'd get this lucky." Andrea sleepily said, kissing her on the cheek. "My dreams have come true in the blink of an eye."  
  
Miranda's heart fluttered wildly in her chest as she felt Andrea's breathing calm as her brunette beauty fell into slumber in her arms. "Thank you." she whispered. "Thank you for making me feel alive again." and as if Andrea heard the brunette held her more tightly.   
  
"I love you." Andrea sleepily whispered.  
  
"Oh my..."_  
  
Coming out of the memory Miranda felt a smile spreading across her face knowing that what had happened last night actually happened and she hadn't been dreaming.  
Feeling Andrea stir she watched as her brunette beauty slowly came back to consciousness. The woman stretched out her legs, a small moan escaping her glorious lips, and she lay still for a few seconds before her lips twitched into a smile, and those gorgeous browns slowly opened, and their eyes connected.  
  
"For a moment there I didn't want to open my eyes in case I had dreamed everything that had happened last night." Andy whispered.  
  
"Definitely not dreaming." Miranda responded, looking down at Andrea's mouth which she desperately wanted to kiss again and again and again.   
  
"You have no idea how happy this means to me knowing that you feel the same way." Andy continued. "I mean everything I said... that I... love you."  
  
Miranda let out a shaky sigh.  _This is all too fast. You shouldn't be doing this._  Her brain said to her, the rational side, and for once Miranda wasn't going to listen. It was due time she did something a little crazy and hope for the best.  
  
"I know that it's totally crazy and hard to understand, but since that very first day of seeing you... there was something about you which I've never been able to shake. I really do believe that you're my true love, but I also know that we can't be silly and rush into this so we should take it slowly... one step at a time and see where it leads us... one thing I do know is that when we get back to the city is that I would like to take you out on a date... so, Miranda Priestly, will you come out on a date with me?!"  
  
"Oh, my darling Andrea." Miranda whispered, laughing heartily. "It would make me incredibly happy to go on a date with you." she said, cupping Andrea's cheek, staring deep into the brown orbs. "As for how you are feeling I understand completely. The way I feel for you and knowing you feel the same makes me feel a way I have never felt before. I have a very strong and good feeling that we will make this work."  
  
"Do you think the girls will be okay with it? The way Cass speaks... it's like she thinks you're going to get back with Eric and you guys can be a family again." Andy said.  
  
"Yes, I thought that was the case." Miranda responded, sighing. "I'll have to sit them both down and make it clear for the final time that Eric and I will never be together again because I've found the love of my life."   
  
Both women were beaming - still unable to believe this surreal situation they found themselves in was actually real and they would no doubt have an absolutely beautiful future together.  
  
"And anyway... you can clearly see the effect you have on them... they adore you and I think they'll be over the moon when they find out." Miranda added.  
  
Andy nodded, stretching again. "All in good time though. I don't want us to rush this and ruin us in any way."  
  
"We'll make it work, darling, I would absolutely hate myself if I didn't allow myself this chance of happiness with you. I can’t promise my mood will always be the best, but I will always do my best to talk to you and not push you away when things get tough which is what I have been known to do." Miranda replied.  
  
"Whatever happens I will never let you push me away and I think I have the upper hand that your husbands never did: I've already seen you at your worst and at your greatest... I know what to expect from you, babe. We’re gonna be fine." Andy replied, smiling widely, as she trailed her fingers up and down Miranda's cheek.  
  
The older woman's heart fluttered at the word of endearment used on her in the way she had hoped Andrea felt about her. "I honestly don't know what I did to get to be with you... I never thought I could ever feel so... so happy." she breathed.  
  
"Well, its only day one of us romantically involved... just imagine what you'll feel like in a month’s time." Andy said, and finished by kissing Miranda.  
  
"Oh my goodness." Miranda said, letting out a shaky breath. "I am so, so lucky."   
  
"I'm the lucky one." Andy responded just as her stomach rumbled and she felt her cheeks flushing.  
  
Miranda chuckled and pressed her mouth against Andrea's once more just as they heard the twins bickering away outside. "I think that's our que to get up." she said. "Look what you have to look forward to every morning and night."  
  
Andy softly chuckled. "With you by my side, babe, everything will be okay." she said, and they kissed once more before slowly sitting up.  
  
"I must look horrible." Miranda said, knowing her mascara would have smudged from the tears.  
  
Andy shook her head. "You're beautiful as always, but if you wanna go have a bathe I can get started on breakfast."  
  
"Thank you. That would be good." Miranda replied.  
  
They leaned in and were about to kiss just as one of the twins tapped impatiently on the tent informing them as to how they were oh so starving.  
  
"They're a handful... don't say I didn't warn you." Miranda whispered just before she began unzipping the tent. "Good morning, bobbsey's, Andrea has kindly offered to get breakfast started while I get dressed."  
  
"Awesome!" The girls chorused.  
  
"Are you good at cooking breakfast?" The twin on the right asked.  
  
Even though she was dressed how Cassidy normally dressed Andy knew instantly it was Caroline. "I make the greatest chocolate waffles in the history of time!" she said, and the twins beamed excitedly. "Unfortunately though I cannot make those out here, but if your Mom is up for it maybe I could make them one Sunday morning, does that sound good, Caroline?"  
  
The twins instantly looked shocked by how quickly and easily Andy had been able to tell them apart. "What if we don't like waffles?"  
  
Andy shrugged. "Then my second greatest breakfast I can cook is chocolate chip pancakes."  
  
At those words the twins' eyes glazed over. "Can we have those too?"   
  
Andy began chuckling. "Definitely!"  
  
"Can Andy stay tonight so that she can cook us breakfast tomorrow?" Cassidy asked.  
  
"Please, Mom?!" Caroline asked.  
  
Andy smirked as she turned to Miranda. "Yeah, please, Mom?" she asked, her tone playful and eyes sparkling, winking at her newfound lover.  
  
Staring from Andrea's breathtaking eyes into her daughters hopeful ones she shook her head. "I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to say no to the three of you from this day forward." she said, her eyes closing at she took a moment still unable to believe that Andrea would be a part of their family from this day until her final breath. She felt Andrea's hand entwining with her own causing her heart to flutter and a smile to spread across her face. "Our Andrea can come to breakfast whenever she likes."  
  
~*~  
  
**SEQUEL**  
  
_"I don't let people in often and I mean what I say. If I tell you you're my friend that means a lot, if I tell you I love you know that it's not a phrase or expression and know that I actually love you in the best and most honest ways that I can."_  
  
**One Month Later.**  
  
From the first flick of Andrea's tongue Miranda’s body was quivering in a way it had never done before.   
  
Eric and Stephen never wanted to do this to her and for many years Miranda thought her nether regions must have been extremely unattractive, but like all things with Andrea, the young brunette surprised her by being one hundred percent attracted to her inside and out, every single inch.   
  
The way she was loved in only a span of one month being together had turned Miranda’s life upside down. She was a completely different person, and for the better - in her private life, of course, she was still the  _Dragon Lady_  at  _Runway_  which is how she enjoyed to be. Her daughters were happier and life at the townhouse was going smoothly than it had ever been. Finally the girls were content being here and weren't threatening to move in with their father.   
  
Tonight was her and Andrea’s first night alone since coming back from the  _Pacific Crest Trail_ and having made it official together - both women had known they were going to fall into bed with one another.   
  
After all it had been a month and it was due time to see if they fit together as perfectly in bed as they did in day to day life.   
  
Truthfully Miranda had been incredibly nervous to take this next big step and so she had delayed it until she could not do so any longer and knew tonight would be the night she would have to suck it up and hope for the best.   
  
It was her ex-husbands faults for her feeling low about herself in the bedroom because both ex-husbands and their bedroom experiences had never been pleasant and she was afraid it would be the same with Andrea, but now she wondered why she had even thought it would be anything other than pleasant as her brunette beauty was doing a magnificent job at teasing her in a way she had never been treated, playful and loving.   
  
"Do you like that?"   
  
Her lover whispered seductively, looking up from between her shaking legs, and their eyes connecting.   
  
"Yes." Miranda gasped. "More than you know." And with those words she felt herself beginning to relax and fully give herself to Andrea who moaned in response to her arching lower body.   
  
"That's the way, I've got you... Always." Andy said.  
  
And then fireworks went off behind Miranda’s eyes as Andrea's tongue plunged inside her.   
  
It didn't take long until Miranda was climaxing and it was the first time she was climaxing from another person since - she couldn't even remember how long - and she couldn't believe it when she felt tears welling in her eyes. She was incredibly overwhelmed and humiliated that she was letting her emotions get the better of her.  
  
"Hey... What's happening?" Andy whispered upon noticing tears that Miranda was trying to keep at bay.   
  
"I just..." Miranda shook her head and covered her eyes. "You're going to think I'm... I don't even know what you'll think."   
  
"You can tell me anything and I would never judge or laugh at you." Andy responded, pushing back Miranda's slightly sweaty hair, and then pressing kisses along the expanse of her lovers forehead.  
  
"That was... The first time I've..." Miranda motioned a hand towards her nether region. "Let go... In such a long time."   
  
Dawning fell upon Andrea whose eyes widened and Miranda swallowed hard.   
  
"So, I'm... The first person to have made you cum in quite some time?" Andy questioned.  
  
"Yes." Miranda breathed and the brunette remained quiet. "You're weirded out now, aren't you?"   
  
Andy slowly shook her head. "No, quite the opposite actually."   
  
"Oh?" Miranda asked, raising an eyebrow.   
  
"Knowing that makes me feel incredibly special and lucky." Andy responded, leaning down and slowly kissed her lover.   
  
"You're not going to, oh I don't know, run away from how old and reserved I've been?! It's pretty sad now that I think of it. I wouldn't blame you if I'm too much for you to handle."   
  
"Woah, slow down, stop with such nonsense." Andy said, looking into Miranda’s eyes and keeping them locked. "It's not "too much for me to handle" you're only human and you've had too many shitty years with shitty dickheads for husbands that never deserved the husband title with you in the first place. They were the ones who mistreated you and made you feel unloved and so reserved that you haven't felt safe and secure to let your walls down until now, that's on them and not you, and I'm not sure why you would think I would run away from this... From you. That's the last thing I want to do... I want you in my future. You're my forever."   
  
Miranda opened her mouth, but nothing came out.   
  
"And I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I'll be able to hold myself back when I clap eyes onto either Eric or Stephen... I'm going to let them know just how perfect you are and how much of an idiot they both are for not realising how magnificent and what a keeper you are." Andy said.   
  
"I'm fine with that." Miranda murmured.   
  
"And I may be the one who's "too hard to handle" if they work me up because, as you've heard, I can get quite ballsy. Not to mention your home gym has really helped me work on my right hook again." Andy said.   
  
Miranda smirked at those words. "Really?"   
  
"Oh yeah, and I've been complimented once that I have a mean right hook." Andy added also smirking. "Of course I don't condone violence, but I like knowing I'm well prepared."   
  
"Self defence is something every woman should know." Miranda commented, and both women nodded. "So, who did you have to use this mean right hook on?"   
  
"About a year ago, this jerk at a bar downtown having a go at "the two faggots at the end of the bar"   
  
Miranda couldn't help but chuckle at the way Andrea mimicked the words in a Boston accent.   
  
"I told them they should stop and be more respectful, they didn't listen, simply thought it would be funny to start calling me a dyke and things got heated..." Andy trailed off.   
  
"Who did the first punch?" Miranda asked.   
  
"One of them and he hit one of the gay guys and that was it... I was fuming and BAM." Andy hit the palm of her hand with her right fist. "Hit him right in the side of his nose... It probably broke his nose, but I didn't stick around to find out."   
  
"That's one of the things I love about you. You act on your instincts for others and don't think of the consequences. You simply always have other people's interests before your own." Miranda responded, and then realised she had said those three words - words she had yet to say to Andrea even though she had felt it from that very first day out in the forest - Miranda having been too nervous to fully confess until now. She knew Andrea Sachs was the real deal or else they wouldn't be laying like this, sweaty and breathless, in bed together.   
  
Andy licked her lips. "You love me?" She whispered, staring into Miranda's eyes.   
  
"Yes, I love you, so much more than you could imagination." Miranda responded. "You're everything I could have dreamed for in a lover and more. Thank you for being you."   
  
Andy smiled as she cupped Miranda's cheek. "No, thank you for being you and for allowing me not only into your family, but apart of your heart...for allowing me to love you because I do... I'm in love with you, Miranda Priestly, and I plan on telling you this each and everyday I am lucky enough to spend with you."   
  
Now Miranda's tears were silently falling down her face. She was truly shocked by how lucky she had become in what really had been a blink of an eye. "I will never forget the moment I saw you walking back into my life through those ugly trees." And at those words her lover laughed heartily and held on to her tightly as her brunette beauty responded.   
  
"Those poor old, ugly trees."   
  
FIN

~*~


End file.
